01. Tarot Woman02. Run With The Wolf03. Starstruck04. Do You Close Your Eyes05. Stargazer06. A Light In The Black

What happens when you take the mighty talents of Ronnie James Dio, Ritchie Blackmore, and Cozy, and put them together in the same band? You get one of, if not the greatest album of all time. After leaving Deep Purple in 1974, and forming Rainbow, Ritchie Blackmore was making his name a force to be reckoned with. One year later, Rainbow released their debut album, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. After scoring a minor hit with "Man on the Silver Mountain,", Ritchie and Ronnie decided it was time to step up their game. In 1976, after bringing in Cozy Powell on drums, Tony Carey on keyboards, and Jimmy Bain on bass, Rainbow recorded their masterpiece.

Overall, the album is only six songs long, barely a half hour's listen. However, these six songs pack more punch than Deep Purple or anyone else could even imagine putting into music. From the explosive riffs of "Tarot Woman", to the cymbal crash on "A Light in the Black", this album is surely a kick to the gut. The lyrical themes we see much for the first time, are Dio's typical tales of wizards and magic, dragons and evil women. As for Ritchie Blackmore, however, his playing is almost completely different from that of his Deep Purple era. Instead of hard rocking riff after riff, Ritchie uses a lot more of his classical training to put in (depending on the song) a much lighter or darker mood than we've seen before. Throughout the entirety of this album, we can see the powerhouse skills of Cozy Powell, as he thunders through both "Stargazer", and "A Light in the Black".

Of the six songs featured here, none are greater or more epic than the ever-immortal "Stargazer". Originally written by Ritchie Blackmore for the cello, he turned what was his joke of an idea into one of the most recognizable guitar riffs in all of heavy metal. With Dio's ever powerful voice shining away, telling the story of this poor slave, and Cozy, ferociously beating on the drums, "Stargazer" quickly became a long time concert favourite, where it usually reached lengths of 17 minutes.
Unfortunately though, only one more studio album would be released by this near-god-like line up, before inner bickering and arguing ultimately lead to the departure of both Ronnie James Dio and Cozy Powell, while Ritchie turned Rainbow towards a more commercial sounding, radio friendly direction. We can only wait now for a reunion tour...

Stargazer is still one of RJDs best vocal performances, I just love that song.
We have already had the Heaven and Hell reunion, which is great, but unless a Rainbow reunion is as good, I would rather live without, don't piss on the legacy.

Stargazer is still one of RJDs best vocal performances, I just love that song.
We have already had the Heaven and Hell reunion, which is great, but unless a Rainbow reunion is as good, I would rather live without, don't piss on the legacy.

Yeah it is! The last 3 minutes of that song are amazingly powerful, and very well done by Ronnie.
I agree with the point about not pissing on the legacy. But, if you think about it, Ronnie still has one of the most amazing voices out there, and Ritchie's guitar playing has only improved since then. It would be nice. Obviously, Cozy wouldn't be there, but I would really like to see who they would bring in on the drums.

Stargazer is still one of RJDs best vocal performances, I just love that song.
We have already had the Heaven and Hell reunion, which is great, but unless a Rainbow reunion is as good, I would rather live without, don't piss on the legacy.

Yeah it is! The last 3 minutes of that song are amazingly powerful, and very well done by Ronnie.
I agree with the point about not pissing on the legacy. But, if you think about it, Ronnie still has one of the most amazing voices out there, and Ritchie's guitar playing has only improved since then. It would be nice. Obviously, Cozy wouldn't be there, but I would really like to see who they would bring in on the drums.

I have to admit that I have not heard any of Blackmore's playing for ages, probably none since Rainbow went all American, so I will take your word for it. As for RJD, you are right, even live he is still the best metal vocalist after all these years. The new Heaven and Hell still sounds strong even though he must be drawing his pension by now.
As for a drummer, I could imagine they might pull in Vinny Appice, still one of my favorite drummers. I have never seen anyone hit the drums as hard. Last time I saw him live he had the drums on elastic cords as he hit them so hard they sprang back.

Stargazer is still one of RJDs best vocal performances, I just love that song.
We have already had the Heaven and Hell reunion, which is great, but unless a Rainbow reunion is as good, I would rather live without, don't piss on the legacy.

Yeah it is! The last 3 minutes of that song are amazingly powerful, and very well done by Ronnie.
I agree with the point about not pissing on the legacy. But, if you think about it, Ronnie still has one of the most amazing voices out there, and Ritchie's guitar playing has only improved since then. It would be nice. Obviously, Cozy wouldn't be there, but I would really like to see who they would bring in on the drums.

I have to admit that I have not heard any of Blackmore's playing for ages, probably none since Rainbow went all American, so I will take your word for it. As for RJD, you are right, even live he is still the best metal vocalist after all these years. The new Heaven and Hell still sounds strong even though he must be drawing his pension by now.
As for a drummer, I could imagine they might pull in Vinny Appice, still one of my favorite drummers. I have never seen anyone hit the drums as hard. Last time I saw him live he had the drums on elastic cords as he hit them so hard they sprang back.

Well, after Rainbow, he got back with Deep Purple, and their first album back together, Perfect Strangers, was real good, and then the new Blackmore's Night stuff is good, even though it's really just hard rock. And yes, I agree, Dio is still the best metal singer. I saw Heaven and Hell over the summer and it was amazing! One of the best shows I've ever seen.
Yeah, Vinny is very good, and would be a very good replacement. I was personnaly was thinking either Ian Paice from Deep Purple would step in, or even someone like Dave Mackintosh from Dragonforce would be pretty kewl to see up there with them.

Stargazer is still one of RJDs best vocal performances, I just love that song.

I am gonna scare you right into a heart attack with this one:
I once again fully agree.

But to soften the pain I do not agree with th following:

Quote:

We have already had the Heaven and Hell reunion, which is great,

The reunion in itself COULD have been great were it not for the fact that when I saw them last summer they were totally uninspired, bland, just going through the motions. That same feeling prevails after listening to the entire The Devil You Know, only a couple of good songs the rest just mediocre.

Stargazer is still one of RJDs best vocal performances, I just love that song.

I am gonna scare you right into a heart attack with this one:
I once again fully agree.

But to soften the pain I do not agree with th following:

Quote:

We have already had the Heaven and Hell reunion, which is great,

The reunion in itself COULD have been great were it not for the fact that when I saw them last summer they were totally uninspired, bland, just going through the motions. That same feeling prevails after listening to the entire The Devil You Know, only a couple of good songs the rest just mediocre.

Thank God for that, we disagree again, I was starting to get worried, I know that Tony and Geezer aren't the best live showmen, but RJD and Vinny blew me away as they always do. I liked the album as well, even though it was a "little" bit doomy, rather than the powermetal of their 80s stuff.
Just to resume normal hostilities, I still love the song Heaven and Hell, so there! ha ha.

Just to resume normal hostilities, I still love the song Heaven and Hell, so there! ha ha.

Ans let me guess... also the live version of Man On The Silver Mountain?

But of course Burzum sill sucks and Varg sounds like a strangled canary.

All black metal passes me by, just don't understand it, especially Burzum.
Love Man On The Silver Mountain, but can't beat a 25 minute version of Heaven and Hell on and on and on and on and on its.....altogether now ......HEAVEN AND HELL.
And a 3 week version of Stargazer from 1977.

There I agree with you but Dio doesn't do the singalongs there thank God. I still find it a crying shame that on their fall 1977 tour they didn't play Stargaze live. I ahve the Live In Munich 1977 dvd and it isn't on there because they play Long Live Rock 'n' Roll instead.
But what what we do get there is a blistering 27 minute version of Still I'm Sad. If you haven't seen that dvd yet go out and get, cause imo it is one of the best live performances ever captured on film.

There I agree with you but Dio doesn't do the singalongs there thank God. I still find it a crying shame that on their fall 1977 tour they didn't play Stargaze live. I ahve the Live In Munich 1977 dvd and it isn't on there because they play Long Live Rock 'n' Roll instead.
But what what we do get there is a blistering 27 minute version of Still I'm Sad. If you haven't seen that dvd yet go out and get, cause imo it is one of the best live performances ever captured on film.

I've got an old tape of the 1976 Live In Germany, where nearly all of the songs are stretched out to 15 minutes, even I gave up the will to live with that one.

I've got an old tape of the 1976 Live In Germany, where nearly all of the songs are stretched out to 15 minutes, even I gave up the will to live with that one.

Yeah in 1976 they did play Stargazer live.
The Live In Munich 1977 dvd has the following setlist:
Kill The King (4.42)
Mistreated (11.49)
Sixteenth Century Greensleeves (8.52)
Catch The Rainbow (18.14)
Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (8.04)
Man On The Silver Mountain (16.25)
Still I'm Sad (27.33)
Do You CLose Your Eyes (15.40)

They started playing that gig at 1 a.m. due to the fact they were held up and harrassed at the border between Austria and Germany. SO what we get is a band really pissed off and firing on all cilinders (especially Blackmore is grandiose here lving in a world of his own)

I've got an old tape of the 1976 Live In Germany, where nearly all of the songs are stretched out to 15 minutes, even I gave up the will to live with that one.

Yeah in 1976 they did play Stargazer live.
The Live In Munich 1977 dvd has the following setlist:
Kill The King (4.42)
Mistreated (11.49)
Sixteenth Century Greensleeves (8.52)
Catch The Rainbow (18.14)
Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (8.04)
Man On The Silver Mountain (16.25)
Still I'm Sad (27.33)
Do You CLose Your Eyes (15.40)

They started playing that gig at 1 a.m. due to the fact they were held up and harrassed at the border between Austria and Germany. SO what we get is a band really pissed off and firing on all cilinders (especially Blackmore is grandiose here lving in a world of his own)

Still I'm sad, the original track was only 3min51sec long, there must have been plenty of guitar wanking to make it 27mins.

I've got an old tape of the 1976 Live In Germany, where nearly all of the songs are stretched out to 15 minutes, even I gave up the will to live with that one.

Yeah in 1976 they did play Stargazer live.
The Live In Munich 1977 dvd has the following setlist:
Kill The King (4.42)
Mistreated (11.49)
Sixteenth Century Greensleeves (8.52)
Catch The Rainbow (18.14)
Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (8.04)
Man On The Silver Mountain (16.25)
Still I'm Sad (27.33)
Do You CLose Your Eyes (15.40)

They started playing that gig at 1 a.m. due to the fact they were held up and harrassed at the border between Austria and Germany. SO what we get is a band really pissed off and firing on all cilinders (especially Blackmore is grandiose here lving in a world of his own)

that whole DVD looks like a long drum, guitar and bass jam session. yawn

I've got an old tape of the 1976 Live In Germany, where nearly all of the songs are stretched out to 15 minutes, even I gave up the will to live with that one.

Yeah in 1976 they did play Stargazer live.
The Live In Munich 1977 dvd has the following setlist:
Kill The King (4.42)
Mistreated (11.49)
Sixteenth Century Greensleeves (8.52)
Catch The Rainbow (18.14)
Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (8.04)
Man On The Silver Mountain (16.25)
Still I'm Sad (27.33)
Do You CLose Your Eyes (15.40)

They started playing that gig at 1 a.m. due to the fact they were held up and harrassed at the border between Austria and Germany. SO what we get is a band really pissed off and firing on all cilinders (especially Blackmore is grandiose here lving in a world of his own)

that whole DVD looks like a long drum, guitar and bass jam session. yawn

That dvd is fucking godly, man. Best concert dvd I've seen. Rainbow, imo, was the best live band.

There I agree with you but Dio doesn't do the singalongs there thank God. I still find it a crying shame that on their fall 1977 tour they didn't play Stargaze live. I ahve the Live In Munich 1977 dvd and it isn't on there because they play Long Live Rock 'n' Roll instead.
But what what we do get there is a blistering 27 minute version of Still I'm Sad. If you haven't seen that dvd yet go out and get, cause imo it is one of the best live performances ever captured on film.

Yeah, When I first picked up the dvd, I was sad when I didn't see Stargazer on there, and I'm not a big fan of Long Live Rock 'N' Roll, but between Still I'm Sad, and 16th Century Greensleeves, Ritchie redeemed himself, haha. To be honest though, I think the ending solo to Catch the Rainbow is my favorite bit on the dvd.

It always worth listening to it on its entirely...i'm completely psychotic on this album...much and much more!
I heard this and my problems disappear like magic you know?... It's this things than a guy need instead of problems, it's good music...and of course...for you to survive, Rainbow!

R.I.P. Dio! You'll be on our hearts forever!!! Greates voice, greatest professional, since Elf or even before 'till Heaven and Hell (the band)!